News: PFT: Randy Gregory hopes to be reinstated by training camp

OmerV said:

Of course that is likely the basis for the request for reinstatement, but he has a treatable condition, and one that I believe was known and supposedly being treated before his last suspension, and he failed the test anyway. It's up to him to stick with the treatment and do what is required.

Click to expand...

What is required by the ADA is for the employer to make "reasonable accommodations".

buybuydandavis said:

What is required by the ADA is for the employer to make "reasonable accommodations".

Click to expand...

How do you define "reasonable accommodations"? Seems like a pretty vague term, but assuming the team/league was providing counseling and treatment prior to his failure of the last test, I would argue that they had made "reasonable accommodations". If that were not provided until after the last failed test, then perhaps not, and maybe the suspension should be lifted, and stay lifted as long as he doesn't falter again.

OmerV said:

How do you define "reasonable accommodations"? Seems like a pretty vague term, but assuming the team/league was providing counseling and treatment prior to his failure of the last test, I would argue that they had made "reasonable accommodations". If that were not provided until after the last failed test, then perhaps not, and maybe the suspension should be lifted, and stay lifted as long as he doesn't falter again.

Click to expand...

In this case, "reasonable accommodation" is simply butting out of his off the field use of pot.

It's not accommodating someone in a wheelchair to give him ankle weights to build up leg his strength. Accommodation implies accepting and working around the disability.

And what's there to work around? As far as showing up for work and being prepared, the ban is the limitation, not the pot. His rehab stints were about Gregory accommodating the NFL's intrusive policy, not the other way around.

buybuydandavis said:

In this case, "reasonable accommodation" is simply butting out of his off the field use of pot.

It's not accommodating someone in a wheelchair to give him ankle weights to build up leg his strength. Accommodation implies accepting and working around the disability.

And what's there to work around? As far as showing up for work and being prepared, the ban is the limitation, not the pot. His rehab stints were about Gregory accommodating the NFL's intrusive policy, not the other way around.

Click to expand...

I think that is completely wrong because I don't think a federal law like the ADA would require employers to ignore federal law regarding drug use. A wheelchair doesn't violate federal law - possessing and using pot does. And let's not act like the NFL is unique in testing for pot. All sorts of employers do, and people can be fired for it.

One possible argument might be if Gregory's doctors prescribed medical marijuana, but again, that might be acceptable under the laws of some states, but it is not acceptable under federal law. So, again, I can't imagine the ADA would require an employer to ignore federal law.

Don't get me wrong. I personally don't give one hoot whether Gregory or anyone else uses pot as long as they aren't driving under the influence. And perhaps the NFL's testing is intrusive, but it happens all over the country, and employers all over the country can fire employees for using it. In the end, whether you and I like it or not, if an employer has the right to test, and they choose to do so, the employee has to live with it or risk losing his job. And where else besides the NFL can an employee fail drug tests 6-7 times and still get a chance to come back and work for the same employer?

Good luck young fella, I just hope you get reinstated by the 3 or 4th preseason game.

The Dope Boyz!

What if the player is from canada where its legal at age 18 and 19 yrs old? Lol.

There are alot of Canadian players in the NFL. Lol. The NFL is gonna lift the ban or decriminalize it before the Next players agreement. 70% of Nfl athletes are using weed anyways and its higher in Non contact sports like the NBA. I bet if the NBA changed their lax rules on weed the players would shut down the League down.

Why are we policing harmless weed when we should be policing the harmful Addictive alcohol, pills, and peds which is the real culprit.

The outdated rules are a joke and need to be changed before another overmedicator or overdoser harms himself or our daughters.

The NFL will change the rules at some point. Why wait for someone else to die.

CPanther95 said:

The NFL won't and can't "decriminalize" weed at least until it is legal in all 50 States - and at the Federal level. At best they could institute a "don't ask, don't tell" policy and only test for it if someone was dumb enough to post a picture of themselves smoking weed on their Instagram.

If they had an open policy of accepting marijuana use, they would be accepting people breaking the law. If they allowed it only where legal, they would be offering some players an unfair advantage.

Click to expand...